Top 777 Songs: 630 – 621

You can listen to all of these songs by clicking play on this Mixcloud widget:

630

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BunkyChuy

Taken From: Bunky – Born To Be A Motorcyle (2005)

“Don’t you wanna be the man I adore?”

I have no memory of how I came across this band or this song, but there’s just something about it that I love. I’ve put it on quite a few mix CDs over the past few years, though am not sure if anyone else has really taken to it as much as I have. Meh, their loss. Here’s a cool live version of it:

629

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Euros ChildsTête à Tête

Taken From: Euros Childs – Situation Comedy (2013)

“I want to do so much more than just surviving”

I’m going to have to dig out the old favourite of ‘it’s just so catchy!’ It really is. It’ll get stuck in my head quite often.

628

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BallboySex Is Boring

Taken From: Ballboy – A Guide For The Daylight Hours (2002)

“Take me back to your room. Tie me up and strip me naked.”

One of the earliest Ballboy songs I downloaded. I often used to check out bands by downloading a small random selection of their songs – basing my choices purely on the song titles! So yes, ‘Sex Is Boring’ was one of those. As was ‘I Wonder If You’re Drunk Enough To Sleep With Me Tonight’. Both of which became and have remained firm favourites. Here’s the acoustic version from Club Anthems:

627

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Easyworld2nd Amendment

Taken From: Easyworld – Kill The Last Romantic (2004)

“I get my killing in the free world, ain’t it fun?”

My main memory associated with this song is being on the chat room for the official singles chart during the top 40 countdown. I think it’s the only time I ever went on there, though it seemed like half of the Easyboard were on there that evening. 2nd Amendment just missed out on the top 40, sadly (you can actually see that week’s chart here), though I was also listening to find out where the new Suede single was going to chart. There were a few Blur fans on the chat room (as there was also a Blur single out that week) and I remember them slagging off Suede and saying how Blur would chart higher. I was therefore highly pleased and entertained when Good Song charted at 22 and Attitude came in at 14 😀 Anyway, despite 2nd Amendment just missing out on top 40, the fans were proud and excited. I remember lots of us quoting the lyrics on the chat room, then Nicky getting kicked off for quoting the sweary version rather than the radio-friendly version. Ha ha. It’s also a great song that manages to be upbeat and catchy whilst still making a political point.

626

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Ooberman13

Taken From: Ooberman – Blossoms Falling (single) (1999)

“I used to love the sunset. I used to dream of spacecraft, honey.”

I feel like this song really encapsulates early Ooberman. I’ve also got a theory that if you hear Ooberman’s music and don’t like it, you’re probably slightly dead inside. Not that you have to like every song. Just most of them. Maybe I should apply for some kind of funding in order to fully test this theory out. Anyway… As I described this song last time:

One of my fave Oob b-sides. Very quirky and just well very Ooberman.

Indeed. All about the joys (and miseries) of being 13. Spectrums and Dunlop Green Flash. No YouTube vid – stick on the Mixcloud widget.

625

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MelysOnce Around Again

Taken From: Radio Wales session

“We’ve been messed up too much lately”

I think I partly like this song so much because it was a bit of an unexpected treat. It’s not a song they ever released (or haven’t to date, anyway), but Adam Walton shared a radio session version of it a couple of years ago, for which I am incredibly grateful. Having not had any new Melys music for years, it was so exciting to get to hear this. Plus it’s just great – of course – it’s Melys! The thought of getting to see them again at Swn in October, plus the news that they’re planning to release some new music at some point is immensely exciting.

624

Charlotte GainsbourgBeauty Mark

I think this has basically been my favourite Charlotte Gainsbourg song since I first heard it. It’s just beautiful. I like how she almost whispers the vocals.

623

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Bree SharpThe Ballad Of Grim And Lily

Taken From: Bree Sharp – More B.S. (2002)

“If Grim gets there before his boss, he’ll pull the final double-cross.”

My instant favourite on this album, though you can probably tell that I don’t listen to it anywhere near as much as I used to. I love the storytelling in it though – it’s very Bonnie and Clyde. It’s also always reminded me a bit of ‘Me & You Vs The World’ by Space, though just because of the lyrics, not musically. Alas no video, so stick on the mix.

622

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Los Campesinos!You! Me! Dancing!

Taken From: Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster… (2008)

“All crop tops and testosterone passion”

Another song that’s just lots of fun and makes you want to dance about. I also enjoy the shout-out to the long-running Cardiff indie night Twisted By Design. Plus you don’t get enough songs with prominent glockenspiel on them.

621

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The Boy Least Likely ToWhen Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade

Taken From: The Boy Least Likely To – The Law Of The Playground (2009)

“I got a bucket, filled it with raindrops. Then I put it in the fridge. And now whenever the sun is shining I make rainbows out of it.”

There’s something really comforting about The Boy Least Likely To songs. They’re like a hug in musical form. This one’s a particularly good example of that.

Songs that previously charted in these positions in 2005 but have now dropped out of the chart:

4 Responses to Top 777 Songs: 630 – 621

630. Bunky – Chuy: I know this song through your inclusion of it on a mix CD a few years ago. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them mentioned anywhere else, which is a shame as it’s a great song. I love the instrumentation at the beginning on it especially.

629. Euros Childs – Tête à Tête: Back when Bore Da was posted I mentioned that I’d sent an MP3 of it to a friend, who had mentioned that it reminded her of 70s era Split Enz. Well, I was wrong! It was actually this song I sent her, and consequently this song that reminded her of Split Enz. Never the less, it’s excellent! As you say it’s just ridiculously catchy, and a lot of fun to listen to. I like that there’s always a kind of innocent joy to his (and Gorky’s before) songs. Even singing about corpses, it still sounds innocent!

628. Ballboy – Sex Is Boring: Ballboy are another act I was first introduced to through John Peel’s show. I think the first song of theirs I heard was Donald In The Bushes With A Bag Of Glue. I liked that and subsequent tracks I heard so much that I bought Club Anthems 2001. At the same time I also bought the All The Records On The Radio Are Shite EP (actually this was at the same time I bought the Jeffrey Lewis album and single I mentioned in the previous post), and I think the title track from that one is my favourite of theirs. I do really like this one too however, although I think I prefer the acoustic version. I also love the consistently excellent titles they come up with for their tracks, I mean really, I think I Don’t Have Time To Stand Here With You Fighting About The Size Of My Dick is pretty difficult to top personally!

627. Easyworld – 2nd Amendment: As I mentioned in a previous post, I own Kill The Last Romantic, and so am familiar with this one. It’s a really good one too. I’ve decided I like their use of the harmonica too.

626. Ooberman – 13: As you know, I’m a fan of Ooberman, so am probably a bit biased, but I think that this is an excellent track. It perfectly captures being that age. I love the fast, slow, fast dynamic too. On a related note, I was very happy to win this e-bay auction a couple of weeks ago: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172268497265

625. Melys – Once Around Again: Melys are just fabulous, aren’t they? They write the most wonderful songs. I can’t wait to see them at Swn. I’ve never heard this song before though, but it’s awesome isn’t it?!

624. Charlotte Gainsbourg – Beauty Mark: I’m not massively familiar with Charlotte Gainsbourg’s music, however a friend (the same one I sent the Euros Childs song to) did include AF607105 on a mix CD once, and I liked that, so I’m looking forward to hearing another song now. I do like voice, I must say. This is a rather lovely song, isn’t it?

623. Bree Sharp – The Ballad Of Grim And Lily: Another Chantal artist! I’ve never actually heard anything by Bree Sharp bef- just kidding! I’ve enjoyed the two previous songs of hers you’ve posted, so am interested to hear another here. I like this a lot. Very different in style to the last one too.

622. Los Campesinos! – You! Me! Dancing!: So many exclamation marks! Wait there’s another! As I’ve mentioned it took me a while to get into Los Campesinos! But they really do release some cracking music, and this is one of the best from them that I’ve heard. I have to use the catchy word again!

621. The Boy Least Likely To – When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade: From just down the road in Wendover, I do love The Boy Least Likely To. Ever since I first heard Be Gentle With Me, there’s always been something I’ve just found so appealing about them. I completely know what you mean about them seeming comforting too. Just an excellent, excellent song this one.

Of the ones that fell out: I like the Tompaulin one, and the Smash Mouth song was okay. As you know TMBG are my favourite band, so I’m sad to see that one fall out (presumably it made it in originally because of Cerys’s appearance?), I was never too fussed about that song when the album first came out, but it’s grown on me over the years. I quite like the Alisha’s Attic song too actually.

It was you who won that Ooberman eBay auction??! Damn you!!! I bid on that too. :-p Pleased it went to someone I know though. I really should have bought the b-sides and radio session CDs at the time they were actually readily available! Oh well. They’ll hopefully appear again at some point.

And yeah Cyclops Rock did make it in originally because of the Cerys appearance. 🙂

Oh no! I feel really bad now knowing it was you I was bidding against. A million apologies. I know you have all the b-sides already, but I could always send you a copy of the radio sessions if you like?